When most people think of 90s full motion video games, they usually think god awful bottom-of-the-barrel tier games, and for those who've played it, Corpse Killer is probably the specific game that first comes to mind. There are four different console version of this game as well as two computer versions, and I only have two of those versions, but from what I can tell, the Sega CD 32X version is decent as far as console releases go.

Corpse Killer is an FMV light gun game that has you play as an unnamed United States Marine who's air dropped (and promptly caught dangling in a tree) onto an also unnamed tropical island to stop the evil Dr. Hellman from using a blend of science and voodoo to create an undead zombie army. Helping you on your quest is a blonde reporter who is definitely one of the most obnoxious companions in gaming history and a Rastafarian driver whose fake Jamaican accent is so thick that he's only technically still speaking English (seriously, I work with like half a dozen Jamaican immigrants, and I can understand all of them just find, but this dude is incoherent).

In between video cut scenes with excruciatingly terrible acting and writing (despite the fact that two of the actors - Rastafarian chauffeur and mad scientist guy - are actually decent actors otherwise), there are gameplay sequences. Unfortunately, unlike most light gun shooters of the era, these sequences aren't on rails going through an area, per se; it's more akin to being in a jeep that's slowly meandering along on a sight-seeing trip as the screen just sort of slowly scrolls from left to right at a constant pace while zombies rush towards you. The backgrounds are all actual digitized images, and the zombies are all digitized real life people in costume which is actually fairly impressive. What's not so impressive is that there's no background embellishment whatsoever - no burning barrels or anything - and the zombies all look more like a drunk old man stumbling towards the bathroom than undead monsters trying to eat your flesh.

Being a Sega CD 32X release, this version is obviously inferior to the versions released on the Saturn and 3DO, but there are some noticeable improvements over the base Sega CD release. First and foremost, the picture quality is a bit better with slightly less fuzzy blurring and a noticeable increase in contrast and saturation. There's a bit of an awkward hiccup every couple frames that's a bit more pronounced on CD 32X than on the regular Sega CD release, but I didn't find that to be too troublesome. To this version's credit, it allows the use of an actual light gun. The Sega CD version also allows this, and I've read that the 3DO version does as well despite making no mention of it anywhere on the packaging although I can't confirm that for myself, but the Saturn version oddly omits this feature leaving you with AWFUL D-pad aiming. I tried the D-pad aiming on the CD 32X version just to try it out, and it's....bad. However bad you imagine it would be, it's worse.

Corpse Killer is not a good game. It's a visual improvement over the Sega CD version, and it has definitely superior controls over the Sega Saturn version, but it falls short of the 3DO version, and even a good version of a bad game is still bad. It's a good example of what, in the early 90s, the FMV and "interactive movie" craze was all about, but it also exemplifies that it's a fad that's worth staying buried in the past. It's a neat piece of gaming history, and it has some definite B-movie cheese charm if that's your cup of tea. Even that, though, wears thin quickly once you realize that the game really just isn't that good. I can't recommend Corpse Killer to anyone unless you just LOVE bad FMV games. It's definitely one of the better versions of the game, but there's just not a lot to love here.

The acting was a pretty mixed-bag, but overall pretty good. It really helped that Adriane was likable and her performance was so top-tiered compared to everyone else. Though it did bother me that the camera seemed to linger on her reactions just a little too long in some spots. Don was probably the worst of the bunch. Sure, he was going crazy, being possessed and all, but even Zolton managed to handle his possession with a modicum of grace and he knocked off a hell of a lot more people (Though I read that if you foul up the ending Don accrues a much higher body count.) Harriet and Cyrus are sort of the outliners. I don't think they were meant to be anywhere near super serious, but I don't think they were meant to come across as goofy as they do. I feel they were aiming for 'quirky' and missed the mark a bit.

The one thing that bothered me about the game more than the acting was that I'd loose control of the curser whenever a cut scene started. It never seemed to be where I thought it was when I regained control. I'm sure that was meant to add suspense or whatnot, but I found it a bit irritating, especially near the end.

Oh! And that no one seemed to change their outfits. I know that was probably a cost-saving measure due to all those repeated walking scenes, but it's still a little weird.

And I had trouble with the soup bone, too. And that was even after I got the drain cleaner. I think the hitbox for the sign and the bone were too close together or something, because it took me four or five tries before it finally let me pick up the bone instead of going back to the sign.

Michi wrote:med to change their outfits. I know that was probably a cost-saving measure due to all those repeated walking scenes, but it's still a little weird.

THANK YOU! I am so glad to hear I was not the only person bothered by the fact that everyone is wearing the same dirty clothes for a week straight. I mean, the homeless caretakers make sense, but the lead? Does she not own at least one other shirt?

Michi wrote:med to change their outfits. I know that was probably a cost-saving measure due to all those repeated walking scenes, but it's still a little weird.

THANK YOU! I am so glad to hear I was not the only person bothered by the fact that everyone is wearing the same dirty clothes for a week straight. I mean, the homeless caretakers make sense, but the lead? Does she not own at least one other shirt?

Right? I mean, the first scene in Chapter 7 has Adriane packing clothes, so I know she has to own at lest one different outfit. The caretakers I understand. The real estate agent? Him I'll give the benefit of the doubt and assume that he just has multiple suites in that color. Hell, I'll even give Don a pass since he's going all wacko. But Adriane? Nope. That one bothers me.

prfsnl_gmr wrote:It’s a weird one, certainly. I am following all of the branches on the “wonder boy” tree pit to their ends; so, it is on my list too! (The Adventure Island series is far-and-away the longest branch. It’s like a whole other tree.)

That is indeed a deep dive. I also appreciate your insights into the Adventure Island series. I haven't played them all, but I have played quite a few. AI2 was pretty fun, and AI4 is one that I wish were a bit cheaper. If it had crossed the pond, I think it would have been fondly remembered. I also love SAI2, but mostly because it resembles Monster World. That's the side I really like, with MWIV being the real standout title.

That reminds me, if you're not completely burned out on the Monster World side of games, there's an interesting NES game developed by Westone called Mashin Eiyuuden Wataru Gaiden that you might like. It's a bit like Zelda II in that you have overhead segments, but you get into random battles and fight enemies on a single screen there. The combat feels veryMonster World-ish.

marurun wrote:I always find it odd that the Master System Dragon’s Trap is considered definitive instead of the Turbo/PCE Dragon’s Curse. They are both solid, but the Turbo version just seems a little nicer to me.

marurun wrote:I always find it odd that the Master System Dragon’s Trap is considered definitive instead of the Turbo/PCE Dragon’s Curse. They are both solid, but the Turbo version just seems a little nicer to me.

I didn't care for the sprite and story changes, and some of the music sounds more saccarine but the rest are minor improvements (smoother scrolling, more colors, more dynamic music with additional harmonies). I also think WB3 is more impressive for an SMS game than DC is impressive for a PCE game.